Abrading machine



Oct. 13, 1964 L. c. HAMMOND ET/m.. 3,152,423

ABRADING MACHINE Filed July 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 :annum www. I l

Oct. 13, 1964 L. c. HAMMOND ETAL 3,152,423

ABRADING MACHINE:

Filed July 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. ,w15 M. Aff

United States Patent O ce 3,152,423 ABRADHNG MACHlNE Lee C. Hammond and Miles M. Bass, Kalamazoo, and

Richard R. Faulkner, Kalamazoo Township, Kalamazoo County, Mich., assignors to Hammond Machinery luiiders, Enc., Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed .idly 24, 1961, Ser. No. 126,090 l Claims. (Ci. Sli- 55) This invention relates to metal working apparatus and particularly to a grinding or polishing machine whose contact area is either fixed or is given a Lback-and-forth movement at the will of an operator. The machine is further adaptable for either electrolytic or conventional operation as desired.

While grinding and polishingr machines having both their wheel axes and their work supporting means either fixed with respect to each other or capable of a backand-forth (either oscillating or reciprocating) movement with respect to each other have been known to the industry for a period of time, which machines when used as grinders are adapted for either conventional grinding or for electrolytic grinding, the designs presently known are relatively expensive to manufacture and accordingly they have received only limited acceptance. Particularly, machines of this type, such as that exemplified by United States Patent No. 2,922,258, are provided with many features and characteristics which, where applicable, will fully justify the cost but which are not necessary in all types of uses. Therefore, there is and long has been a market for a machine of this general kind which would perform the essential operations effectively and efficiently but which could be manufactured and sold at a greatly reduced cost.

However, in designing such a machine, it is still essential that the adjustment and control devices be arranged for convenient access by the operator. Referring particularly to the means by which the operator determines whether the machine operates with the contact area of the grinding device fixed or whether it follows a backand-forth movement, such means should all be on and accessible from the same side of the machine, at approximately the same height as the working areas provided for the workpieces to be acted upon by the machine, be of sufiicient simplicity that the desired adjustments can be made quickly and easily and by a minimum, if any, of tools and be capable of being enclosed by a suitable housing for the protection of the operator and other persons from Contact with moving parts without detracting from either the appearance or the effectiveness of the machine.

Accordingly, the objects of the invention are:

(l) To provide a grinding and polishing machine whose contact area may be either fixed or movable in a back-and-forth manner at the will of an operator and which machine will be of suliicient simplicity as to involve relatively little cost, but which will still be strong and sturdy and convenient to operate.

(2) To provide a grinding and polishing machine, as aforesaid, which can be converted both quickly and simply by the operator from a machine having a fixed axis to a machine having a back-and-forth movable axis and vice versa as desired.

(3) To provide a grinding and polishing machine, as aforesaid wherein the magnitude of said back-and-forth motion may be adjusted and may be reduced to zero if desired.

(4) To provide a grinding and polishing machine, as aforesaid, wherein the means by which said converting and said adjusting are made are located in close prox- 3,152,423 Patented @et 13, 1964 imity to each other, one the same side of the machine and at a convenient height for manipulation thereof by the operator.

(5) To provide a grinding and polishing machine, as aforesaid, which can be utilized as either a single end machine or a double end machine as desired without modification in the mechanism effecting or controlling the functions above referred to.

(6) To provide a grinding and polishing machine, as aforesaid, of such design that it can be readily adapted to a wide variety of other specific modifications without appreciable departure from the design of the controlling mechanism above mentioned.

(7) To provide a grinding and polishing machine, as

aforesaid, which can be manufactured at relatively low cost without sacrifice in sturdiness or longevity and without objectionable sacrifice, within the scope of a low-cost machine, in convenience and ease of operation.

(8) To provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which will be easy to keep in proper operating condition and therefore an apparatus wherein maintenance cost will be held to a minimum.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with this type of machinery upon reading the following specification and inspection of the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side, partially broken, view of an apparatus embodying the invention.

FEGURE 2 is an end View of the apparatus shown in FIGURE l as seen from the leftward side of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an oblique fragmentary view of the side of the machine.

General Description In general, the invention contemplates providing a grinding and polishing device having either the abrading means or the work supporting means supported for backand-forth movement, such as oscillation, and driving means effecting such movement arranged at one side of said machine and in substantially the same horizontal alignment as the working table or tables provided at one or both ends of the machine. Said driving means are adjustably arranged for controlling the magnitude of such back-and-forth movement and are adjustable to reduce such magnitude to zero. Linkage means is provided for alternately permitting such back-and-forth movement in response to said driving mechanism or for positively preventing sarne. Both of said movement adjustment means and said linkage means are arranged close together at one side of the machine and between theoretical planes extend-- ing laterally from the respective ends of the machine, whereby the operator may readily adjust the machine for back-and-forth movement or for no such movement and, if it is to move, may readily adjust the magnitude of such movement and whereby also a casing may conveniently ybe provided for enclosing said driving means and said linkage means.

Detailed Description In the following description certain terminology will be used for convenience of reference but it will be understood that such terminology is employed for convenience only and is in no sense limiting. For example, the terms upward and downward will refer to the apparatus in its normal position of use and will also refer to directions in connection with drawings to which reference is made in a given instance. Similarly, the terms right and left will be used in connection with the accompanying drawings. The terms inward and outward will refer to the direction toward and away from the geometric center of the apparatus. Similarly, the term back and forth will refer to either oscillatory or reciprocal motion regardless of whether such motion be in a horizontal or vertical plane and regardless of orientation of said motion relative to other parts of the machinery. All of the terms referred to in the foregoing will include also derivatives of said terms as well as words of similar import. Further, since the specific embodiment of the invention here utilized to illustrate same is an oscillatory type of machine, and such is the principal application of the invention, other terminology appropriate to oscillating grinders will be used herein. However, such example and terminology will be recognized as for illustrative purposes only and not limiting.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a base 1 of any convenient and sturdy construction upon which is mounted a pedestal 2. Said pedestal is provided with a pair of upwardly extending flanges of which one is shown at 3 upon which is mounted a spindle support 4, said spindle support 4 being mounted for back-and-forth movement with respect to the pedestal 2 which back-and-forth movement is in this embodiment an oscillatory movement around a pivot point P (FIGURE 2) as hereinafter further described for illustrative purposes. Said spindle support supports a suitable motor S which consists of end bells 6 and 7 and a central casing 9. The end bells contain suitable bearings on which is supported the motor spindle 8 which in this embodiment extends from both ends of the motor through said end bells. Suitable metal-cutting devices are mounted at either or both ends of the spindle 8 which in this embodiment are grinding wheels 11 and 12.

Further details of construction of said spindle 8 and the means for supporting same within the motor may, if desired, be found in the application of Robischung and Sutton, Serial No. 80,378, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

A further pedestal 13 is in this embodiment provided at one side of the pedestal 2 and supports a work-holding device 14 which in this instance is a fixture adapted for the grinding of a single point tool. A second work supporting table 16 may be provided in any conventional manner in association with the grinding wheel 11 and is in this instance supported by the bracket 17 from the pedestal 2.

A bracket 21 extends sidewardly from the pedestal 2 and supports a motor 22 thereon, said motor being located intermediate the end faces 23 and 24 of said pedestal 2. A further bracket 26 extends sidewardly from the pedestal 2 and is located directly above said bracket 21. The bracket 26 supports a speed-reducer gear box 27 thereon and has the driving sheave 2S aixed to the input shaft thereof. The belt 25 connects the drive sheave of the motor 22 to the input sheave 2S of the gear box 27. If desired, a hand drum 29 may be also affixed to the input shaft of said speed-reducer 27 for purposes appearing hereinafter. The output of said speed-reducer is connected to the crank 31 of a crank and pitman combination, the eccentric structure 32 of said crank being arranged for adjustment toward and away from the center of rotation of the crank 31 whereby the length of stroke delivered by the crank mechanism may be adjusted. A pitman 33 is connected at one end to the crank 31 and at its other end by a pin 34 to the upper end of the spindle supporting base 4. Rotation ofthe output mechanism of the gear box 27 acts through the crank 31 to effect reciprocation of the pitman 33 and this effects oscillation of the spindle supporting base 4 on and about the pivot mechanism including the pivot axis P and connecting same to the base structure ll.

A link 36 (FIGURE 2) is affixed rigidly to a portion of the supporting base 4 spaced upwardly from said pivot axis P and the other end of said link 36 is provided with a slot 37 and clamp 3S for fastening said link to an anchor 39. Said anchor is rigidly, here integrally, connected with the pedestal 2, preferably by extending upwardly from an upper surface thereof adjacent to the flange 3. Said clamp structure 38 may be of any conveniently available and known type, preferably one adapted for actuation by a handle indicated at 4t).

A pad 3@ (FIGURE 2) of resilient material, such as rubber may advantageously be provided between pedestal 2 and gear box bracket 26 upon which same is mounted for the purpose of absorbing shock which would otherwise be applied to the bearings at either end of the pitman 33.

A pair of end sheets 41 and 42 (FIGURE l) are provided at either end of the structure including the motor S and each are provided with openings 45 and 45 for the reception of the bearing-containing extensions 6a and 7a of the end bells 6 and 7. With entirety of the parts in association with the gear box 27 (including the driving sheave 28) and the anchoring linkage 36 (including the clamp 3S) located between theoretical planes extending sidewardly from the ends 6b and 7b of the end bells 6 and 7, said sheets 41 and 42 may comprise the ends of a housing within which the driving mechanism including the gear box 27 and the anchoring mechanism including the link 36 is enclosed. The handle (it), which may be a removable wrench, for tightening the anchoring mechanism, projects through the casing, and an access opening, covered by the door 43, is provided through said housing for access to said eccentric 32.

A micro-switch 52 is provided for actuation in response to axial movement of said shaft 51 as the clamp mechanism is clamped and unclamped. Said microswitch 52 is serially connected to the power supply for the motor 22 (FIGURE 1) and thus protects said motor against energization when the clamp 38 is in its tightened position.

Operation Assuming first that the apparatus is intended to operate as a grinder or polisher having an oscillating axis, the clamp 33 will be manipulated to release same and the crank adjusting structure 32 will be operated to provide the proper amount of eccentricity for the crank end of the pitman 33. The motor 22 is then started and the axis of the wheels 1l and 12, or either of them if only one of them is present, will be caused to oscillate as desired. The amount of such oscillation may be adjusted by adjusting the throw of the crank adjusting mechanism 32 in any known manner.

If it is next desired to operate the apparatus as one having a fixed axis, the motor 22 will be stopped and the crank mechanism 31 will be rotated by manual actuation of the hand wheel 29 to bring the spindle support preferably to a vertical position. When this is attained, the clamp 38 will be actuated to clamp the link 36 rigidly to the anchor 39 whereby the spindle supporting base 4 will be afiixed rigidly to the pedestal 2 and no oscillation will occur.

With both the clamp mechanism 38 and the crank throw adjusting mechanism 32 placed closely adjacent each other, they may both be conveniently manipulated by the Operator from a single position at the side of the machine and both will be accessible at the same time through the side of the casing.

The operation of the shaft 51 of the clamp mechanism with respect to the switch 52 has been sufficiently indicated above and needs no repetition.

It will be recognized that the apparatus may be operated as either a single end or a double end machine and that any kind of work supporting means may be provided in association with either of the grinding wheels used all within the scope of the present invention.

While the foregoing described embodiment has referred specifically for illustration to mechanism in which the work support is fixed and the back-and-forth movement is imparted to the abrading means, it will be evident that the subject matter of the invention may be applied also to a movable work support, such as a reciprocable table, while the axis of the wheel (contact wheel in the case of a belt grinder) remains fixed.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail above for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that variations or modifications of such disclosures, which lie within the scope of the appended claims are fully contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A grinding machine having a grinding or polishing device comprising in combination:

a base structure;

a work support unit;

a power source having output means and means supporting said power source fixedly with respect to said base structure;

a spindle supporting said grinding or polishing device, a housing unit rotatively supporting said sipndle and means for driving said spindle;

means supporting said housing unit and said work support unit for relative back-and-forth movement with respect to each other;

a crank and means drivably connecting said output means to said crank, a pitman connected to one of said units and to said crank, said crank being radially adjustable from center to oli-center positions whereby rotation of said output means will effect relative back-and-forth movement of said one unit if said crank is in an off-center position and will effect no relative movement thereof if said crank is in a center position;

an anchor aiiixed rigidly with respect to said base structure;

linkage connecting said one unit to said anchor;

clamp means relating said linkage to said anchor in such a manner that in one position of said clamp means, said linkage is affixed rigidly to said anchor and in another position of said clamp means said one unit can move in said back-and-forth manner, said anchor and linkage being so arranged that said clamp means is located on the same side of said housing unit as said crank and said pitman and closely adjacent thereto;

whereby when said clamp means is in said another position and said crank in an olf-center position, said one unit will be Vcaused to move through said backand-forth movement as said grinding or polishing device rotates and with said crank in a centered position and said clamp means in said one position, said one unit will be held against back-and-forth movement while said grinding or polishing device rotates and whereby said clamp means and said crank are located on the same side of said machine, conveniently adjacent to each other and at a convenient height for manipulation thereof by a workman.

2. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein said clamp means insludes manually operable manipulating means and said crank includes manually operable crank adjusting means for adjusting the throw thereof, said clamp manipulating means being located a substantially similar distance from said housing unit as said crank adjusting means and wherein said clamp manipulting means is spaced from said crank adjusting means in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of said spindle and is further located about the same height from said base structure as said crank adjusting means.

3. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein said clamp means and crank are located at substantially the same height from said base structure as said work support unit.

4. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein said power source, said crank, said pitman, said linkage and said anchor are all arranged between theoretical planes extending sidewardly and defined by the ends of said housing unit.

5. The machine defined in claim 1 including a limit switch aflixed rigidly with respect to said base structure and means associated with said clamp means for placing said switch in a first condition when said clamp means is in said one position and placing said switch in a second condition when said clamp means is in said another position, means relating said power source with said switch whereby said power source wiil be inactivated when said switch is in its rst condition and the machine will thereby be protected from imposing a force urging back-and-forth movement of said one unit when said clamp means is in said one position.

6, The machine defined in claim 1 including means resiliently mounting said power source with respect to said base structure.

7. The machine defined in claim 1 including a metalcutting device on each end of said spindle and workholding means arranged adjacent each of said metal-cutting devices, said work-holding means being each at approximately the same height from said base structure and both thereof being approximately the same height from said base structure as said clamp means and said crank and said pitman, said work-holding means being at opposite ends of said machine and adjacent opposite ends of said spindle and said crank being positioned at one side of said housing unit and generally between the ends of said housing unit.

8. The machine defined in claim l including a first bracket rigidly mounted with respect to said base structure and extending sidewardly with respect to said housing unit and located adjacent one end of said housing unit, means mounting said power source on said bracket; a second bracket mounted rigidly with respect to said base structure and located at one side of said housing and adjacent said one end thereof and means mounting said anchor on said second bracket;

both of said brackets and means mounted thereon together with said crank, said pitman and said linkage being mounted between theoretical planes defined by and extended from opposite ends of said housing unit;

casing means having end walls located adjacent the respective ends of said housing unit and having openings therethrough, the ends of said spindle extending respectively through said openings and said end walls extending beyond said brackets and means associated therewith,

whereby said casing means may at least partially enclose said housing unit, said brackets, said clamp and said crank and said pitman in a zone isolated from but closely adjacent to said work support unit.

9. An abrading machine having an abrading device, comprising in combination:

a base;

a work support;

a rotatable spindle supporting said abrading device and means for rotating said spindle; means supporting said spindle for back and forth movement with respect to said work support in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of said spindle;

drive means for effecting back and forth movement of said spindle, said drive means including adjustable linkage for adjusting the extent of said back and forth movement, said adjustable linkage being movable to a position in which no back and forth movement of said spindle will be effected;

conecting means independent of said drive and means connected to said means supporting said spindle for back and forth movement therewith; and selectively operable clamp means rigidly connecting said connecting means to said base so that back and forth movement of said spindle and the means supporting same will be positively prevented, said spindle supporting means being thus locatable in a locked position at any preselected point in the path of said back and forth movement.

10. An abrading machine according to claim 9, including switch means for controlling said drive means, and means operable by said clamp means for operating said switch means.

l1. An abrading machine having an abrading device, comprising in combination:

a base;

a work support;

an electric motor having a rotatable spindle, said abrading device being mounted on said spindle for rotation therewith;

a support mounted on said base for back and forth movement with respect to said work support in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of said spindle, said motor being mounted on said support;

drive means and linkage connected between said drive means and said support so that operation of said drive means effects back and forth movement of said support;

rigid connecting means independent of said drive means connected to said support and extending to a point adjacent said base; and

selectively operable clamp means rigidly connecting said connecting means to said base at any position of said support in said back and forth path so that back and forth movement of said support and thereby of said abrading device will be prevented and for alternatively releasing said connecting means from said base so that said back and forth movement of said support is unobstructed thereby.

12. An abrading machine according to claim 11, in which said adjustable linkage includes an adjustable crank connected for controlling the back and forth movement of said support, said clamp means including an anchor rigidly afxed to said base, said connecting means comprising an elongated, rigid link having an elongated slot therethrough and fixed with respect thereto adjacent said anchor, and a shaft extending through said slot and said anchor and having tightenable means thereon for releasably rigidly connecting said link to said anchor.

13. An abrading machine according to claim l1, including switch means for controlling operation of said drive means, said switch means and said clamp means having mutually engageable elements whereby operation of said clamp means effects operation of said switch so that operation of said drive means is prevented when said clamp means is applied.

14. An abrading machine according to claim 11, in which said support is pivotally mounted on said base, said adjustable linkage including an adjustable crank and a pitrnan which is pivotally connected at one end to said crank and is pivotally connected at its other end to said support at a point thereon located above the pivot axis of said support, said connecting means including an elongated, rigid link connected at one end to said support above the pivot axis thereof and the other end of said link being engageable by said clamp means, said link and said pitman extending in the same direction away from said support, said clamping means and said crank being located close to each other.

15. An abrading machine according to claim 1l wheresaid clamp means includes an anchor fixed with respect to said base and a shaft threadedly engaged by said anchor, extending essentially perpendicular to the plane of said back and forth movement, having a shoulder thereon spaced from said anchor means, and having an actuating handle for threading same into or out of said anchor; and

said connection means includes a slot therethrough adjacent the end thereof engaged by said clamp means, said slot slidably containing a portion of said shaft between said anchor and said shoulder, said slot being elongated in the direction of movement thereof with respect to said shaft to allow said back and forth movement of said support when said clamp is released;

whereby when said clamp is engaged, said shaft is threaded into said anchor for tightly and rigidly engaging said connecting means between said anchor and said shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,032,758 Lumsden July 16, 1912 1,909,884 Nickerson May 16, 1933 2,398,556 Pearson Apr. 16, 1946 

9. AN ABRADING MACHINE HAVING AN ABRADING DEVICE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A BASE; A WORK SUPPORT; A ROTATABLE SPINDLE SUPPORTING SAID ABRADING DEVICE AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SPINDLE; MEANS SUPPORTING SAID SPINDLE FOR BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID WORK SUPPORT IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SPINDLE; DRIVE MEANS FOR EFFECTING BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT OF SAID SPINDLE, SAID DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE LINKAGE FOR ADJUSTING THE EXTENT OF SAID BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT, SAID ADJUSTABLE LINKAGE BEING MOVABLE TO A POSITION IN WHICH NO BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT OF SAID SPINDLE WILL BE EFFECTED; 